As others have pointed out they are very similar dishes in other cultures. The water content of the potato makes a big difference in the final product. I use a potato ricer which will get most of the water out plus drying them with paper towels. They are best when fried in lard. As a kid they were served as a main dish when topped with sour cream or as a desert when topped with home made apple sauce. I grew up with many, many meatless meals. Meat was just too expensive.